Deer Valley Resort’s executive chef of Snow Park and Empire Canyon Lodges appeared on NBC’s TODAY Thursday, March 6, 2014, for its TODAY’S Kitchen segment. For the in-studio segment, Executive Chef Jodie Rogers showcased how to make a variety of creative pancakes, from carrot cake pancakes with cream cheese frosting to bacon, blueberry and fresh thyme pancakes.

Deer Valley Resort Pancakes

Makes about 10 four-inch pancakes

Basic Pancakes Mix

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 ¼ cups buttermilk
• 2 eggs
• 1T + 1t olive oil
• 1T + 1t sugar
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 cup water

Serve with blueberries, chocolate chips, butter, banana butter, berry compote, vanilla whipped cream, maple syrup, powdered sugar

Deer Valley’s Carrot Cake Pancakes

• Makes about 10 four-inch pancakes
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 ¼ cups buttermilk
• 2 eggs
• 1T + 1t olive oil
• 1T + 1t sugar
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 cup water

1 cup fresh peeled carrots, Fine-Grate (lay on a baking sheet to air dry for approx. 15 minutes)
½ cup dried carrots, Fine-Grate (for garnish) To prepare the dried carrot: Spread the fine-grated carrot on parchment paper and slow roast at 300 degrees for approximately 20 to 30 minutes.

¾ cups toasted walnuts, chopped (save ½ for garnish)
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

Directions:

Make the basic Pancake recipe

In a separate bowl, mix the dairy, egg, oil and vanilla. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir together.

Take ½ of the batter and add in the grated carrots and ½ of the toasted walnuts and cinnamon

Over medium heat, pour the pancake batter onto the pan.

Once bubbles form and burst on the top of the pancake it is time to flip. Only flip pancakes once.

After another 3-4 minutes, the pancake is cooked. Remove onto a plate and either eat, or place the plate in the oven on warm to keep the pancakes hot until you are finished cooking all of them. (Tip: these pancakes take longer to cook due to the extra moisture from the carrots)

Serve three pancakes stacked with dried carrots and walnuts sprinkled on top

Top with Deer Valley’s Cream Cheese Frosting

 Cream Cheese Frosting

Yield: 2.5 pounds

• ½ lb butter, soft
• 2 lb. cream cheese
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla
• 1 pinch of salt
• 1 ¼ lbs powdered sugar

Tip: If butter is not smooth before adding cream cheese – there will always be lumps

Directions:

Beat Butter until very soft and smooth. Scrape sides several times so that no lumps remain. (Very important)

Add cream cheese, beat well – scrape again several times so that cream cheese and butter are very smooth but do not overbeat.

Add vanilla and salt

Add powdered sugar

Mix 1 minute on first speed

Scrape bowl well and mix on third speed for about 30 seconds

Don’t overbeat as it tends to make the frosting runny

Deer Valley Resort Bacon, Blueberry and Fresh Thyme Pancakes

Makes about 10 four-inch pancakes

Start with Deer Valley’s Basic Pancakes Mix

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 ¼ cups buttermilk
• 2 eggs
• 1T + 1t olive oil
• 1T + 1t sugar
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 cup water
• Add:
• 3-4 bacon slices
• 8 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 pint blueberries
• Whip cream mixed with lemon juiceand fresh thyme to taste

Directions:

Slice the bacon into small pieces and fry it over medium/high heat until it is the crispiness that you desire. When finished drain on a paper towel.

While the bacon is cooking, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into a bowl

In a separate bowl, mix the dairy, egg, oil and vanilla

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir together

Over medium heat, pour the pancake batter onto the pan

Immediately after you pour the batter, sprinkle a hand full of bacon bits onto the pancake. You could mix the bacon directly into the batter, but I have found that you get better distribution if you sprinkle it on this way.

Once bubbles form and burst on the top of the pancake it is time to flip. Only flip pancakes once.

After minute or two, the pancake is cooked. Remove onto a plate and either eat, or place the plate in the oven on warm to keep the pancakes hot until you are finished cooking all of them.

Top with lemon thyme whip cream

Elderberry Compote Pancake Syrup

• 3 ½  pints of berries (elderberries
• 1 pint fresh (or frozen) strawberries- washed, trimmed and sliced
• ¼ cup water
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• ½ pint fresh blackberries
• ½ pint fresh blueberries
• ½ pint fresh raspberries
• 1 splash of Grand Marnier
• 1/8 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• Honey to taste

Directions:

Combine water and sugar in medium sauce pan.

Cook while stirring until sugar is dissolved and syrup is clear.

Add ½ berries and honey

Cook until berries are soft

Remove from heat and add Grand Marnier and Vanilla extract

Put remaining berries in another pan

Pour syrup over berries and mix lightly so as not to break up berries

Chill overnight

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